Awning fixture



June 26, 1951 J. M. ALEXANDER ET AL AWNING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 26, 1948Patented June 26, 1951 OFFICE AWNING FIXTURE James M. Alexander andClyde V. Basey, Parsons, Kans.

Application January 26, 1948, Serial No. 4,326

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in an awningfixture or the like, and has for its object to provide a device of thischaracter which is extremely simple in construction and convenient inuse. One of the primary advantages of our improved fixture resides inthe fact that it is formed by stamping, pressing, and bending a singlepiece of sheet metal or wire to provide all of the essential elements ofthe fixture without the use of numerous hooks, eyelets and pulleys, thusminimizing the cost of manufacture and increasing its utility.

Another object of our invention is to provide a fixture which is soconstructed and arranged as to be self-reinforcing, the stresses andstrains applied to the device while in use being so distributed as toavoid undue strain at any one point.

A further object of our invention is to provide an awning bracket, soformed of one piece of metal as to enable a single screw or bolt toserve the dual purpose of mounting the bracket on a main support andmaintaining the clamping engagement of an integral head rod clampelement.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, our invention consists in the novel featuresherein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designatesimilar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of our invention inwhich the fixture is formed of sheet metal;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation showing the same fixture with thehead rod clamp sprung in open position; t

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the fixture in place on a main supportwith the awning, head rod and rope in place;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of our inventionwherein the fixture is formed with a single piece of wire. This figurealso illustrates a screw and clamping plate which may be employed inapplying the fixture;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 4 but illustrating themodified fixture shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 11 of Fig. 6 butomitting the awning, head rod and rope.

In the drawings, referring first to Figs. 1 to 4,

5 Claims. (01. 248-273) we have illustrated a fixture which is formed bystamping a strip of sheet metal and bending the same to form a back orbase I, the lower portion of which is bent outwardly and back uponitself to respectively form a rope-running loop 2 and a head rod support3. The transverse edges of the loop 2 are preferably curved or rolleddownwardly as at 4 to form a transverse radius as illustrated in Figs. 1and 2, to facilitate the running of an awning rope through the loop andto avoid the cuttin of the rope by the otherwise sharp edges of the loop2. Adjacent the head rod support 3, the end 5 of the strip lies parallelwith and embraces the base I and is provided with an aperture 6 whichregisters with a similar aperture in the base I for the purposehereinafter set forth.

The upper portion of the strip is bent out wardly and down to form ahead rod clamping element 1 which overlies the head rod supportingelement 3, formed by the lower portion of the strip. The head rodclamping element 1, being resilient, may be sprung inwardly andoutwardly from the support 3 to permit the insertion and removal of anawning head rod. The clamping element I is provided with an aperture 8which is preferably countersunk as illustrated in the drawings, andregisters with the opening 6 in the opposite end of the strip whereby asingle screw 9 may be passed through all three openings and into a mainfoundation or support ID, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. l, it will be seen that the awning head rod l l-,which passes through the usual hem l2, formed in the upper edge of theawning, rests in the supporting element 3 and is firmly held in place bythe clamping element], said clamping engagement being maintained by thescrew 9 which serves'the additional function of mounting the entirefixture on the main support I0.

The rope l3 of the awning passes through the running loop 2, the rolledouter edges of which protect the rope from injury and facilitate itsmovement therethrough, thus eliminating the use of pulleys.

In the modified form of our invention, illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7, itwill be apparent that the basic principles of construction and use arethe same as those just described. Here, however, the fixture is formedby bending a single piece of metal wire into the desired shape to formthe various elements of the fixture.

Thus, a piece of wire is first bent double to form a back or base whichconsists of two parallel adjacent the loops 22. The lower or doubled end25 of the wire, preferably lies between and in the same plane with theback or base members 2|, the space 26 between the legs of the bent end25, being adapted to receive the retaining screw 29 as will hereinafterappear.

The opposite portion of the wire fixture is bent outwardly anddownwardly to form two .-para1lel wires 21 which serve as head rodclamps and overlie the head rod supporting portion 23. A clamping plate30, having a countersunk opening 28 in its central portion is bent-atitslongiclamping engagement with said awning head rod.

2. An awning fixture comprising a bracket formed of one piece of metaland having a relatively fiat main support engaging base, said bracket,adjacent one end of said base, being bent outwardly and upwardly torespectively form a rope-running loop and head rod support, the oppositeend of said bracket being bent outwardly and downwardly tooverlie saidhead rod support in normally spaced relation and form a tudinalextremities to bridge the parallel wires forming the head rod clamp 21,the screwi29 passing through the opening 28 and the space 26 in theopposite end of the wire to serve the dual purpose *of mounting thefixture on the main support'lil and clamping the head rod H of theawningin place.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that similar-advantages flow fromthe use of either form of our invention herein described. Thus, we haveeliminated the necessity of pulleys and have reduced the number ofscrews orbolts revquiredior an individual fixture to a minimum of one. aThe fixture, being composed of a single piece ofsheet metal or wire, themethod of bending this material toform the variouselements of thefixture, and the'particular relationship of said elements withrespect toone another, have providedan improved fixture which far surpasses anydevice of which we are advised, due to its simplicity of constructionand effectiveness and ease of installation and use.

It. will be .further noted that dueto the particular formation andrelative positions of the various partsv of our improved fixture, thestresses and strains caused by constant pull on the ropes runningthrough the loops 2, are so distributed over the entire fixture as tonot only eliminate strains atany one given point, but in addition willtend to increase the clamping action on the head rod.

- From theforegoing, it is believed thatour invention. maybe readily'understood .by those skilled in the art without further description, itbeing borne in mind that numerous changes may be, made inthe details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit of theinvention as setforth in the following claims.

. What we claim is:

1. An awning fixture comprising a one-piece bracket having, a relativelystraight main support engaging base, said bracket, adjacent one end ofsaid base, being bent outwardly and downwardly to form one jaw member ofa head rod clamping element, the opposite end of said bracket being bentoutwardly and upwardly to respectively form a complementary jaw memberfor said clamping element and a rope-running loop, said jaw membersbeing normally spaced apart to receive a head rod and means forconvergingsaid jaw members and retaining them in u-saidjaw elementtoward said head rod support and retaining the jaw element and head rodsupport in clamping engagement with an awning head rod.

3. An awning Qfixture comprising a bracket formed from a single strip ofmetal and having a relatively-flat main support engaging base, saidstrip, adjacent one endof said base, being bent outwardly-and back-to-form a rope-running loop, then upwardly parallel-with said base to forma head rod support, the opposite end of said strip being bent outwardlyanddownwardly to form the jaw of a resilient clamping element overlyingsaid head rod support in normally spaced relation, and registeringopenings in said base, in the end forming-said head rod support and inthe end forming said clamping element to receive a screw which servestomount said bracket'and .to draw said clamping jaw element intoengagement with an awning head rod held in said head rod support.

4. An awning fixture comprising a bracket formed from a singlepiece ofwire and having a relatively straight main support engaging base, said.w-ire, adjacent one .endof said base, being bent outwardly and upwardlyto respectively form a rope-running loop and ahead rodsupport, theopposite end ofsaid wire being bent out wardly anddownwardly vto overliesaid head rod support in normally spaced relation, and form the jaw of-a clamping element, and means for drawing the jawv of said-clampingelement toward said head .rod support in clamping engagement with a headrod.

5. A. fixture as claimed .inclaim 4, wherein said wire is doubled uponitself to form parallel, spaced head rod supports, rope-running loopsand head rod clamping elements, a clamping plate adapted to-bridge saidparallel head rod clamping. elements, and a V screw adapted to passthrough said clamping plate .for. mounting .said fixture and retaining.said clamping elements in engagement with said head rod.

JAMES M; ALEXANDER.

CLYDE V. BASEYJ :REFERENCES CITED The following references areof recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,338,754 Bonas Jan. 11, 1944

